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The Future of Quilting Books and Magazines

In the United States, we have seen the demise of the daily newspaper in many areas of our country. With online and televised news, fewer people see the need to purchase a daily paper. I know in our own home, we have dropped our local paper (The Flint Journal) and only subscribe to one newspaper (The Detroit Free Press). But the Detroit Free Press is no longer a daily paper! It provides subscriptions for home delivery on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, and offers a paid online subscription the other days. How has this trend to reduce the printed word to an online or electronic version affected quilters?

I did a search on Google for “eBooks quilting” which took me to a Google list of over 10 pages of items. At the top of the list is Amazon.com with Quilts & Quilting: Kindle eBooks. Many of these books are books by Jennifer Chiaverini (whom I adore) and her Elm Creek Quilts novels. But there are also many books that are how-to books with patterns which makes me wonder… would you buy a book for your Kindle or Nook (or iPad /tablet) that had patterns in it?

Do you find yourself purchasing as many new quilting books as you used to? How about magazines (that you can hold in your hand)? Personally, I only subscribe to one quilt magazine now, whereas 20 years ago, I had four subscriptions. The large number of online sites, blogs, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. fulfills my need to look at quilts ‘til “the cows come home.” I would rather spend my money on fabric than on paper products.

What are your thoughts on the subject? Chime in and leave a comment below. I’m anxious to learn what you are thinking!

Unless posted otherwise, all photos and writing copyright Caron Mosey,http://blog.caronmosey.com. If you would like to use a photo or article seen here,
please contact me at caron mosey at gmail dot com.

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6 thoughts on “The Future of Quilting Books and Magazines”

I rarely buy a quilt magazine anymore – so many free patterns available on line. I have not purchased any e-books for quilting though as I wonder how you get the patterns printed out – we stopped our paper copy of newspaper about 3 years ago or so – there is very little in it – our on-line version doesn't have much in though either – I get most of my news on line.

I only buy Quiltmania now. Have so many magazines that I read over and over again, so much inspiration and quilts I would like to make. I do buy lots of books and patterns. Mostly I like to buy books with histrical content about quilts and their makers. I dont think I have subscribed a newspaper the last ten years, but we do have the local newspaper at work.

I still buy a few quilt books for the 'quilt library', but the only magazines I buy are American Patchwork and Quilting, Quiltmania, and Primitive Quilts and Projects as these are the only ones that fit my quilting desires.

I still love to buy books to read though and don't know that I could ever give those up. I do have books on my iPad, but really very few…and those are there for when we are traveling. There is nothing like opening the pages of a book to me. Books don't require plugging in to charge the battery 😉

I have never been a quilt mag kind of girl as I always have far more ideas in my head as it is without needing more inspiration. My quilting books are limited to either complicated / fussy items (Hawaiian applique, Baltimore, Lone Star) or compilations like 5500 quilt blocks or Farmer's Daughter. As much as I enjoy a novel on my Nook, I'd be unlikely to buy a quilt pattern book in that format. Being old enough to see the evolution of floppy disk – CD – Mp3…it feels too temporary. Sheesh…I don't even have the technology to retrieve pictures of my children from carefully saved floppys. And I'm pretty sure there are quilt projects in my UFO pile as old and my teenagers.

Caron, We still have a subscription to the paper version of our local daily newspaper. I do not own an e-reader, nor am I interested in one. I still buy quilting related books. Not as many as I used to, but the reason is because I have so many already and now I am more selective with what I buy. Regarding magazines, I don’t buy them anymore because they have little of interest to me in them. Mostly advertisements. I have heard good things about Quiltmania, though.

I have a huge collection of quilt books that I have been collecting since 2005 since I started quilting… my favorites being TECHNIQUE BOOKS… as I try everything but do not master too much. I have been buying less books and mostly at quilt shows for very reduced prices.

I buy more DVDs then I do books now a days.

As for magazines I am getting less and less of them for the past couple of years… for one thing I pick them up at the guild for greatly reduced amount. I also tend to xerox or tear out what I like and pass it on to my neighbor. MODERN QUILTS are my current passion because that is what my nieces and daughter like… so that is what I make. A lot of time for those I just go on pinterst get inspired then make my own pattern.

I also love playing with EQ7 so I personally need less and less books.

As for personal reading I want a book in hand… I do not like reading on computers or lap tops.. too easy to break when I fall asleep and they fall to the floor. i like and want pages of paper.